Lester D. Crawford
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lesterdcrawford.com
Lester D. Crawford
@lesterdcrawford.com
61 followers 91 following 200 posts
Writer of stories involving dragons, mostly, that use themes of love, loyalty, friendship, kindness, acceptance, family of origin, and family of choice.

www.LesterDCrawford.com

Related Bluesky accounts:
@thedragonuniverse.com
@dracotation.com
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#WIPSnips November 13 - build
The baby dragon wants to play in the monsoon, but Hope is hesitant.
#AmWriting #AmWritingFantasy #AmWritingScifi #WriteSky #Dragons
Text that says: Baby began entertaining himself by chasing his tail. Round and round he went more enthusiastic with each spin. He caught it, bit it, squealed, ran to Hope, and tried to climb into her lap. "Aw, did Baby bite his tail?" She got as much of the him into her lap as she could, which was mostly his head, as he wrapped the rest of him around her, which showed how long his neck and tail had grown -- they now touched. "Let me check your tail. See, it's okay. Next time you catch your tail, don't bite it." Ears drooping, he whimpered, and said, "Don't bite tail." Hope gave the baby dragon a loving hug. She had spent so much of her existence merely surviving, she hadn't actually lived. Now, she knew what living meant, what life meant. It was more than simply existing, simply surviving. For the first time, she felt she was alive. When Baby went to his corner and began building an elaborated structure using all his toys at once, Hope began the task of convincing herself to do what she needed to do. Sometimes, things she didn't want to do were things she had to do. Baby needed to experience monsoon. He craved experiencing monsoon. That experience wasn't about existing or surviving. It was about living life. He'd been patient. It was time. — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
November 13, 2025 at 6:35 PM
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#WIPSnips November 12 - shirt
Manipulating gender expression using clothing.
#AmWriting #AmWritingFantasy #AmWritingScifi #WriteSky
Text that says: Mister Emery said, "Gender is a complex continuum, but as actors, we're only interested in one aspect: gender expression -- how someone outwardly presents themselves using society's gender stereotypes. Our lessons will concentrate on using those stereotypes to manipulate people into assuming your gender to be the gender you want them to assume." He went on to discuss clothing and how privileged people dressed flamboyantly with obvious differences, such as men wearing pants and shirts while women wore frocks. In contrast, to blend into the crowd, riffraff men and women dressed alike wearing farm-dirt brown pants, shirts, and hats. However, because of the range in body shapes and sizes, the cut of people's clothing often provided gender expression cues, meaning that by using cut and padding, clothing can be made to present as masculine or feminine. — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
November 12, 2025 at 6:48 PM
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#WIPSnips November 10 - local
The local artesian well provides safe drinking water.
#AmWriting #AmWritingFantasy #AmWritingScifi #WriteSky
Text that says: Hope put away her daggers, washed in her makeshift washroom, ate a couple of carrots and an apple from school, a piece of dried meat from her food cache, and drank her fill of water. Later in the evening, when the only people on the street would be a few riffraff on their way to a work-shift, she would visit the local artesian well and refill her drinking water containers. For now, though, she would read the history book. According to The History of Tossal, the world used to be different. It had been friendly, safe, smart, and with social equality and rights for everyone. She jumped to the end to see how the world came to be broken, but the book ended before explaining it. Yet, this history did explain Mister Emery's play I Will Be a Symbol, which was about bringing back that different world. — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
November 10, 2025 at 6:35 PM
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#WIPSnips November 9 - picture
A talented artist, actor, musician, and dancer teaches Hope those skills. He also teaches her fighting and weapons. She wonders why he knows those things. His backstory is a mystery, even to the author.
#AmWriting #AmWritingFantasy #AmWritingScifi #WriteSky #Dragons
Text that says: When finished with sparing practice, the rest of their scheduled time was spent practicing drawing. When Hope finished her picture, Mister Emery said, "Excellent. What is the creature?" "He's a dragon ... like, what's in story books." "It looks like a real creature. I like how the wings are spread in a horaltic pose." "Baby doesn't always do that. Normally, he keeps them closed, folded tight to his body, but that doesn't look dramatic." He gave her a sideways glance. "Indeed." — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
November 9, 2025 at 7:43 PM
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#WIPSnips November 8 - little
I use little a lot! I need to do a little editing.
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Text that says: "It's time for sleep. Go walk circles." The baby dragon tilted his head and said, "Why walk circles?" "You always walk circles, and do little marching steps, before you lie down for the night." "I do not." He snorted, went to the sleeping place, walked half a circle, stopped, stared at Hope, and plopped himself down. He wiggled. He squirmed. He fidgeted. Then he stood, walked two circles, made little marching steps, lay down facing away from Hope, and snorted again. — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
November 8, 2025 at 6:57 PM
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#WIPSnips November 7 - movement
Does a dragon look funny doing that?
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Text that says: While making her way back to the cave lair, Hope ducked into a secure hiding place to concentrate on her connection with the baby dragon. He had stopped exploring the forest to do something different that she couldn't figure out without concentrating. She probed the strands that connected to his body and movements. He lay on his back with his wings spread wide and his feet sticking up. Hope whispered, "What are you doing, Baby?" "Light feel good." — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
November 7, 2025 at 6:24 PM
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#WIPSnips November 5 - trail
An editorial choice made for this story was to call trails in the forest "animal traces."
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Text that says: The trees, ferns, and bushes were abundant enough to make travel difficult had it not been for animal traces that provided paths to follow. She rarely saw the animals — they ran or hid as she approached — but she assumed there were many of them. — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
November 5, 2025 at 6:03 PM
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#WIPSnips November 3 - nice
A nice treat. I used to occasionally enjoy nice treats, until the price rose to a substantial percentage of an hours pay.
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Text that says: The aromas coming from the bakery were as wonderful as ever. When she was certain no one was coming and no one watched, she placed two polished gemstones — a blue one and a yellow one — on the stoop then returned to her hiding place. As always, Mister Aviar took the gemstones and placed a paper wrapped package on the stoop. With excitement, Hope opened the package. It contained a loaf of bread, which it always did, and something new: several individually wrapped doughnuts that were missing the hole in the middle. She took a bite of the strange doughnut. Where the hole should have been, it was filled with custard. She had had custard a few times when Mister Stirling snuck containers into her food order. Custard was a nice treat, but Hope did not considered it food — food was things like meat, vegetables, fruits, beans, and things made with grain. However, custard inside a doughnut…. — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
November 3, 2025 at 6:05 PM
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#WIPSnips October 26 - hat
Was the man having an affair?
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Text that says: Hope said, "Hide." There was no place to hide. The baby dragon dropped to the ground, curled up, and mantled his wings. Hope froze in place. A man came down the steps, saw her, grabbed the brim of his hat, pulled it down to conceal his face, and said, "Good evening," as he headed down the street as if he didn't want to be there. How had the man not seen Baby? He was right there. — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
October 26, 2025 at 5:58 PM
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#WIPSnips October 24 - total
The baby dragon reads for the first time.
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Text that says: "Try reading Kirik and Mirik's Adventures." The baby dragon's ears drooped. "I don't know all the words." "You know enough to get started. As you find new words, we'll add them to your list." He ran a hand over the book. "There are so many words in the book." "Words are used over and over again, so there aren't as many different words as there are total words. You'll do fine." Opening the book, Baby slowly read aloud: "The mighty dragon Kirik and his friend the indomitable mountain cat Mirik stood on the ridge outside Kirik's cave overlooking the mist-shrouded valley. Something was coming and they were ready to protect their families and community. They just needed to decide what that something would be for today's adventure game." Baby's ears pricked, the tip of his tail wagged, and he softly purred. "I told you you could do it." The words they had practiced were from the beginning of the book, so Hope wasn't suppressed he could read them. Although, she wondered if he had memorized the story as she had and therefore knew what the words would be. — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
October 24, 2025 at 5:20 PM
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Stray Cat Friend died today.
I'm heartbroken.

He was a good friend.
He was the best cat friend I ever had.
Portrait of Stray Cat Friend, May 10, 2019, a tabby cat with black and white tabby patterned fur and a large white spot of fur under his chin, his neck, and chest
October 22, 2025 at 11:15 PM
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#WIPSnips October 22 - charge
Baby dragon scares himself. Inspired by Big Bear bald eagle Sunny practicing with wings while branching. Wind caught wings and tossed her backward into nest bowl. She just sat there, wits scared out of her.
#AmWriting #AmWritingFantasy #AmWritingScifi #WriteSky #Dragons
Text that says: "I can catch you." Hope charged the baby dragon. "You can't catch me." Baby dashed away in a zigzag, occasionally pausing to let her come close, and then dodging while making his goik, goik laugh. Hope, laughing with him, was unable to keep up. Then he stopped, swung around, and said, "I can catch you." She had no doubt he could. She stopped laughing and ran. Behind her she heard the squelching and splattering of his hands and feet on the rain-soaked grass coming closer as he galloped on all fours. They hadn't made rules for this game, so she didn't know what to expect. Her foot caught on the hem of her raincloak sending her tumbling. She curled into a ball and covered her head expecting to be trampled. Through their connection came the feeling of frantic panic, then, the power of Baby's legs as he leapt, his primary wings snapping to full extension, his tail wings fanning out, and the air under both sets of wings. Looking up, she saw his magnificent, wide-spread form glistening from the rain as his wings caught the air to waft him over her, ending in a crash as he scrapped a trench through the grass that spun him around leaving him facing her, his eyes full of terror that matched what was coming through their connection. "Oh my! You flew." She ran to him. "Well, maybe not flew, but you definitely glided a couple of dozen steps. It was glorious. Let's do it again." "Go inside lair now." — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
October 22, 2025 at 5:27 PM
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#WIPSnips October 21 - second
They were proud of the fear they had instilled.
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Text that says: Several moments later, a squad of militiamen came into the alley. A second squad approached from the opposite direction. The two squads stopped to talk. Hope withdrew deeper into the hollow's shadows and wished the militiamen would move on so she could continue her survival tasks. The men laughed as they exchanged stories about mentally and physically abusing and traumatizing riffraff; how many they had harassed, humiliated, threatened, or simply chained and hauled away for further investigation, or sent to work camps; how they had forced them into surrender, into submission, into silence; and how much coin reward they received from the City Lords. They were proud of the fear they had instilled, and all with no accountability. They had made the world a grim, miserable place where riffraff hurried along, head down, afraid, paranoid, and subject to being disappeared at any moment. When the militiamen finally left, Hope said to herself, "The world is a dark place." — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
October 21, 2025 at 4:15 PM
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#WIPSnips October 20 - field
Don't smash the plants.
#AmWriting #AmWritingFantasy #AmWritingScifi #WriteSky #Dragons
Text that says: "We've rested enough. We should go." The baby dragon jumped out the hedgerow bower and crossed the path to the edge of a field of vegetable crops. "Don't go into the farm field. You'll smash the plants. The farmers wouldn't like that, and it would be sign we were here. We don't want anyone to know we were here." "I want play in the plants." "Not in the farmer's plants. We are to never disturb the farmer's plants, or their animals. Do you understand?" Baby's ears drooped. "Yes." — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
October 20, 2025 at 6:24 PM
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#WIPSnips October 18 - dodge
Reality throws things at Hope.
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Text that says: Reality constantly tested Hope, constantly caused her despair, constantly tried to make her surrender. Those were the times when she learned who she was, at least for that moment. She expected reality to continue throwing things at her. She would dodge and deflect them, and then carry on as always. — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
October 18, 2025 at 4:20 PM
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#WIPSnips October 17 - loaf
Search for anything edible.
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Text that says: Hope had just tipped over the swill container to search for anything edible when a man came out the door. She ran and ducked into a hiding place. "Hey, come back. I have bread for you." Peeking out, Hope watched the man place a package on the cobblestone pavement and then retreat to his door. The man said, "Please, take it." After considering the offer, looking around for dangers, and stopping to think before she acted, she ran out, grabbed the package, and returned to her hiding place. The package contained a small loaf of bread. She ate it. The flaky, deeply browned crust, the soft insides, and the mild sweetness had been exactly what she had dreamed of. — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
October 17, 2025 at 5:00 PM
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As I write, I'm always looking up words to ensure I use them correctly, even words I think I know.

Example:
• Edible is food that is safe to eat.
• Eatable is food that is safe but also enjoyable to eat.

Edible is the word I want, although I assume Hope is hoping for something eatable.

#AmWriting
Text that says: Hope had just tipped over the swill container to search for anything edible when a man came out the door. — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
October 16, 2025 at 11:14 PM
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#WIPSnips October 16 - might
Everyone was simply surviving.
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Text that says: Hope came to appreciate that everyone was simply surviving day-to-day as she was. The source of their anxiety might be different; nevertheless, riffraffs' existence in daily despair was no different from her own. — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
October 16, 2025 at 5:50 PM
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#WIPSnips October 15 - care
Hope has a responsibility.
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Text that says: She should have known this would happen. Eggs hatch, the biology book said so. And, from a dragon egg, would come a baby dragon. She should have planned. She should have prepared. She was so focused on surviving in the present she had failed to plan for the future. How was she going to care for a growing baby dragon? Hope's heart raced and cold prickled her core causing her to shutter as a feeling of being overwhelmed enveloped her. She closed her eyes and tried to invoke the calm that came from her calming exercises, which didn't work at first. After concentrating on her breathing, she said, "I can do this." The unpleasant feeling began to fade. "I CAN do this. I will adapt. I always do." She opened her eyes to admire the innocent baby dragon. "The mother dragon gave me the responsibility to protect and care for the dragon egg. Now, that responsibility is to protect and care for the baby dragon." — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
October 15, 2025 at 5:41 PM
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#WIPSnips October 14 - ultimate
A symbol that changes the world.
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Text that says: Mister Emery said, "Recite the ending soliloquy from I Will Be a Symbol." "It violates the City Lords' laws." "It's safe to do it here. The City Lords will never know." Hope paused as she put herself into the character of Marie, who had over the course of the story fought against oppression until she ultimately failed. Projecting as she had been taught, she said, "I may be oppressed, but I am NOT powerless. My oppressors think they'll make me a symbol for what happens to those who resist." She placed her hand over her heart. "I WILL be a symbol, but not the kind of symbol my oppressors think I will be. I will be a symbol that reminds others why we resist." She lifted her chin. "A symbol that inspires others to continue the struggle." She made the hand over her heart into a fist. "A symbol that ignites the restoration of an enlightened and humane society." She lifted her fist into the air. "A symbol that changes the world." Mister Emery beamed. "Excellent, even if a little melodramatic." — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
October 14, 2025 at 5:25 PM
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#WIPSnips October 13 - push
Hope's first boots.
#AmWriting #AmWritingFantasy #AmWritingScifi #WriteSky
Mister Orson had given Hope her first boots when he saw her barefoot while she scrounged in the rubbish across the alley from his shop's backdoor. She had been quite young at the time and new to surviving on the street. Having never worn boots, the soles of her feet were callused and as tough as leather, although that didn't mean it didn't hurt to step on things. When she ran, Mister Orson called out to her. She ducked into a hiding place and watched him. "You're a feral creature, aren't you?" he had said. It wasn't until later, when she was older, wiser, and looked up feral in her dictionary, that Hope realized that had been a rather rude thing for him to have said. Nevertheless, she didn't think he intended any harm by it. "I have a pair of boots that should fit you. Would you like to try them on?" He held up the boots. Boots? Hope had known everyone else wore boots, but she'd never considered boots for herself. "These are old boots I repaired so they're as good as new." She was interested, but she was not willing to approach. "I'll put them here for you." He set them on the cobblestone pavement and backed away. Hope crept forward, grabbed the boots, and retreated to the hiding place. After examining the boots, she put them on, and walked little circles. "You need to buckle them. Like this." Using a second pair of boots, he demonstrated. "Stick the strap through the buckle then push the prong through the hole in the strap that makes the boot snug." Hope watched then did the same. "How do they feel?" She smiled and said, "You fix boots?" — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
October 13, 2025 at 6:02 PM
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#WIPSnips October 12 - hope
Giving it hope.
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Text that says: She cuddled the dragon egg, holding it close, protecting it, giving it hope. Its parents dead, the dragon egg was an orphan, like her. However, unlike her, who had no one to love, protect, or care for her, she would love, protect, and care for the dragon egg. — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
October 12, 2025 at 5:33 PM
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#WIPSnips October 11 - welcome
Some people are nice. Some people are meanies.
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Text that says: When Hope arrived, Miss Livia and Mister Finn were working in their garden. Their comforting smiles as they welcomed her made her feel better after having that riffraff man throw a rock at her as if she were a wild animal he was trying to scare away. He had missed. — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
October 11, 2025 at 5:42 PM
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#WIPSnips October 7 - safe
Hope experienced loneliness.
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Hope experienced loneliness, the kind of loneliness that hurt. She couldn't let herself feel attachment or to feel safe around others. She had to remain vigilant and wary, which meant she never felt close to anyone. — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
October 7, 2025 at 5:15 PM
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#WIPSnips October 6 - miss
Inner peace makes everything possible.
#AmWriting #AmWritingFantasy #AmWritingScifi #WriteSky
Over time, Miss Nella taught Hope that inner peace makes everything possible, and to achieve inner peace she needed to be calm, quiet, and patient; free of resentful thoughts; and indifferent to things she couldn't control. Hope had embraced that philosophy, which had helped her cope. Later, Hope had one-on-one visits where she and Miss Nella discussed philosophical concepts, such as the nature of reality and existences, objective knowledge and subjective belief, logic and reasoning, ethics and morals, rights and responsibilities, art and beauty, and how knowledge of facts isn't intelligence; it's what you do with that knowledge that matters. During these sessions, they shared food. Miss Nella told Hope that sharing food fosters a sense of friendship and community, and it signifies care and consideration for the well-being of others. Miss Nella's wise words always lifted Hope's mood. Regardless, each time Hope left, Miss Nella said, "Take care of yourself, Child. The world's a dark place," which always brought Hope back to reality. — The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)
October 6, 2025 at 5:57 PM